The International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group (IOCCG) was established in 1996 with the aim of developing consensus and synthesis on a global scale in the subject area of satellite ocean colour radiometry (OCR). It operates as an Affiliated Program of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and comprises a rotating committee of representatives from each of the major international space agencies that provide ocean colour data, as well as representatives from the scientific community that use ocean colour data for research and applications. Space agencies contribute financially to the IOCCG and carry out the decisions endorsed by the group, while the scientific members address current research issues and make recommendations. Currently, IOCCG works towards ensuring Continuity and Consistency of the Ocean Colour Data Stream in the framework of the CEOS Ocean Colour virtual constellation. Within the OCR-VC framework, the International Network for Sensor Inter-comparison and Uncertainty Assessment for Ocean Color Radiometry (INSITU-OCR) initiative aims at integrating and rationalizing inter-agency efforts on satellite sensor inter-comparisons and uncertainty assessment for remote sensing products, with particular emphasis on requirements addressing the generation of ocean colour Essential Climate Variables (ECV) as proposed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Since 2013, IOCCG organises a bi-annual International Ocean Colour Science Meeting, where the global OCR community can gather and exchange with peers and space agency representatives. In parallel to these new initiatives, the IOCCG has a continuing capacity building and training activity, and continues to increase its record of monographs, based on the work of its working groups (currently 5 WG are active).

1. Current activities of the
International Ocean Colour
Coordinating Group
IOCCG
David Antoine, on behalf of
the IOCCG committee

2.  Established in 1996 to promote the application of
ocean-colour data at the world scale through
coordination, liaison between providers and users,
training, advocacy and provision of expert advice
 Project Office at the Bedford Institute of
Oceanography, NS, Canada
 Committee consists of:
space agency representatives who contribute
financially and carry out the decisions endorsed
by the group
research scientists who address current
research issues and make recommendations
The scientific composition of the IOCCG is focused
on expertise needed in existing and emerging
scientific and societal benefit areas where ocean
colour can make a contribution or is critical to the
success of the science
International Ocean Colour
Coordinating Group
ESA MERIS Chlorophyll, 3-9 Sept
2010 (image courtesy Cesar Fuentes-
Yaco, DFO, Canada)

3. • NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
• ESA (European Space Agency)
• JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
• CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, France)
• European Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)
• CSA (Canadian Space Agency)
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization, Australia)
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
• JRC (Joint Research Centre, EC)
• INPE (National Institute for Space Research, Brazil)
• ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation)
• KIOST (Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology )
• DFO (Bedford Institute of Oceanography)
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (Germany)
IOCCG Sponsors

4. IOCCG Mandate
To provide a common voice for the user community
Liaise with space agencies
Advanced training courses to foster expertise in using ocean-colour data
Facilitate free and open access to ocean-colour data from all agencies
Ensure continuity and quality of the ocean-colour data stream
Advocate the importance of ocean-colour data to the global community
(informative website, newsletters, brochures, IOCCG reports…)

5. Project
Office
Scientific
Working
Groups
Liaison
with
CEOS
Capacity
Building
International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group
Scientific Research
Members
IOCCG
Space Agency
Representatives
• IOCCG Report
Series
• 15 IOCCG Reports
plus Handbook
• OCR-Virtual Constellation
• INSITU-OCR
• ECV Task Force
• Sensor Calibration Task Force
• Advanced Summer
Lecture Series (SLS)
• Introductory courses
• Over 500 students from
86 countries trained
• Annual Committee Meetings
• Comprehensive Website
• Quarterly News Bulletins
Affiliated
Program of
SCOR
Associate
member of
CEOS

6. 2nd Blue Planet Symposium, Cairns, Australia, 27-29 May
IOCCG Scientific Working Groups Investigate various aspects of ocean-colour technology and its applications
 End product - publication of an IOCCG Report (15 published to date, plus a handbook). Widely cited. Available at:
www.ioccg.org
 IOCCG reports have an ISBN and are now indexed in the Thomson Reuters Book Citation Index (included in Web of
Science)
Minimum Requirements for an Operational Ocean-Colour Sensor (1998)Report 1
Report
3
Report
2
Report
4
Report
5
Report
6
Report
7
Report
8
Report
9
Report
13
Report
12
Report
11
Report
10
Status and Plans for Satellite Ocean-Colour Missions (1999)
Remote Sensing of OC in Coastal and Other Waters (2000)
Ocean-colour, Level-3, binned data products (2004)
Remote Sensing of IOPs: Fundamentals and Algorithms (2006)
Ocean-Colour Data Merging (2007)
Why Ocean Colour? The Societal Benefits of Ocean-Colour Technology (2008)
Remote Sensing in Fisheries and Aquaculture (2009)
Partition of the Ocean into Ecological Provinces (2009)
Atmospheric Correction (2010)
Bio-Optical Sensors on Argo Floats (2011)
Ocean-Colour Observations from a Geostationary Orbit (2012)
Mission Requirements for Future Ocean-Colour Sensors (2012)
Handboo
k
Handbook of Satellite Remote Sensing Image Interpretation: Applications for
Marine Living Resources Conservation and Management (2011)
Report
14
Report
15
In-flight Calibration of Satellite Ocean-Colour Sensors (2013)
Phytoplankton Functional Types from Space(2014)

7. 1) Harmful Algal Blooms (IOCCG/GEOHAB – Stewart Bernard, South Africa)
2) Ocean Colour Remote Sensing in Polar Seas (Marcel Babin, Canada)
3) Uncertainties in Ocean Colour Radiometry (Roland Doerffer, Germany)
4) Atmospheric Correction Algorithms over Optically-Complex
Waters(Cédric Jamet, France)
5) Earth Observations in Support of Global Water Quality Monitoring
(Dekker, Australia; DiGiacomo, NOAA; Greb, U. Wisconsin)
Current IOCCG Working Groups

8. 2nd Blue Planet Symposium, Cairns, Australia, 27-29 May
Ocean Colour Radiometry – Virtual Constellation (OCR-VC)
Goals of the OCR-VC
Established by IOCCG through CEOS to provide a long time series of
calibrated ocean colour radiances from measurements obtained from
multiple satellites.
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
1) To ensure the continuity of the ocean colour time series – Climate
Data Record
2) To provide high quality data sets through a concerted inter‐agency
effort on activities relating to sensor inter‐comparison (INSITU-OCR)
3) Data harmonization, support implementation of ECVs (IOCCG Task
Force on ECV Assessment)
4) Facilitate timely and easy access to data (user interface)
5) Capacity building and outreach
All space agencies on the IOCCG Committee contribute
to the OCR-VC

9. Ocean Colour Radiometry
Satellite Constellation

10. Within the OCR-VC Framework
INSITU-OCR White Paper
International Network for Sensor Inter-comparison and
Uncertainty Assessment for Ocean Colour Radiometry
produced a White Paper with recommendations on:
o space sensor radiometric calibration, characterization and
temporal stability
o development and assessment of satellite products
o in situ data generation and handling
o information management and support
Provides guidance on the generation of better,
long-term OCR climate data records
Facilitates collaboration to maximize
the accuracy and stability of OCR
data records from individual missions
Coordinates and revises in situ
measurement protocols
MERIS-MODIS-SeaWiFS–VIIRS chl
Coordination of In Situ Measurement Protocols
Task Force on Satellite Sensor Calibration
Task Force on ECV Assessment

11. Satellite Data from
Calibrated Sensors
In Situ Data
• Collection of required bio-
optical and atmospheric
measurements (INSITU-OCR PIs)
• in situ instrument calibration
(Project round robin SI-traceable,
IOPs, AOPs)
• Data collection following NASA
Ocean Optics protocols
• Archive of calibrated QC in situ
data (SeaBASS)
• Calibrated instrument pool
• Development of new
instrumentation
Calibration Strategy
Pre-launch
• Lab. characterization & calibration
(SI-traceable)
• Solar calibration (transfer-to-orbit)
Post-launch (operational adjustments)
• Solar calibration (daily, every 2 weeks)
• Lunar calibration (monthly)
• Multiple sites Lwn time series for
vicarious calib. (ISRO, MOBY-C)
Product & Algorithm Validation
• Atmospheric & bio-optical algorithm validation &
development (INSITU-OCR PIs & project staff)
• Match-up analysis via Aeronet OC sites, satellite QC,
time series eval., Bio-Argo, ChloroGIN etc.
• Earth System/Climate Model data assimilation
Mission Feedback
• Science community input
• Comparison with other
appropriate products
• New Missions
• Protocol development
Improved Products &
Algorithms
• Reprocessing due to
improvements in calibration,
masks, binning schemes,
product compatibilities, etc.
• New products from bio-
geochemical, atmospheric fields, etc
• Data distribution interface
Satellite data
processing
software
• SeaDAS & BEAM for ACE,
OCM-2, MERIS, OLCI, SGLI,
GOCI, PACE, etc.
INSITU-OCR
Inter-AGENCY
PROJECT OFFICE
Feedback
Envisioned INSITU-OCR Components

12. 2nd Blue Planet Symposium, Cairns, Australia, 27-29 May
Introductory courses (applications)
• Theoretical basis of optical radiometry, introduction to processing and using ocean
colour data.
• Over 20 courses conducted/co-sponsored around the world.
• Focus on key applications for monitoring and managing the coastal zone, and for
protecting marine ecosystems and resources.
High-level training courses (scientific research)
• To maintain a highly skilled and trained scientific research community, with the
necessary background and expertise to address current critical issues.
• Three courses to date: Inversion Methods in Ocean Colour Remote Sensing (Germany,
2009), and Summer Lecture Series (France, 2012, 2014; likely 2016 again).
IOCCG Training Initiatives

13. 2nd Blue Planet Symposium, Cairns, Australia, 27-29 May
• To maintain consultation and interaction with the broader ocean colour user community
• Series of meetings in different parts of the world - provisionally every two years.
Format of meeting:
 Invited keynote speakers: Charles McClain, Steve Ackleson, Stewart Bernard,
Shailesh Nayak, Frédéric Mélin…..
 Splinter sessions on various topical issues:
- NASA Ocean Colour Research Team meeting
- Phytoplankton community structure from ocean colour
- Climate variables and long term trends
- In situ measurement protocol revision for cal/val etc……..
 Information talks by space agency representatives
 Poster sessions to highlight the latest research in OCR.
Darmstadt, Germany, 6-8 May 2013

14. San Francisco, USA, 16-18 June 2015
http://iocs.ioccg.org
• Same objectives as the 1st IOCS meeting
• Build on experience of the 1st meeting
• A few additions:
- SeaDAS / Beam workshop
- West coast workshop
- NASA OCRT meeting will be held just before
10 breakout sessions:
• Phytoplankton functional types (Mouw, Bracher, Hardman-Mountford)
• Geostationary remote sensing (Mannino, Tzortziou)
• Uncertainties (Turpie, Boss, Maritorena, Melin, Doerffer, Werdell)
• Water Quality (Schaeffer, Brando)
• High latitude seas (Tzortziou, Mannino, Devred, Hirawake, Reynolds)
• High resolution satellite data (Ruddick, Vanhellemont)
• Hyperspectral science (Turpie, Rousseaux, Tzortziou, Boss, Gierach, Palacios)
• Ecosystems and climate change (Wilson, Digiacomo)
• Satellite calibration (Meister, Fougnie)
• Bio-Argo (Mangin, Xing)

15. OCR-VC agencies are fully in support of the GEO Blue
Planet Components.

16. Thank you